Shuttle for badminton and the like



March 5, 1940. T. COLLIER SHUTTLE FOR BADMINTON AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 7, 1938 FIIE E INVENTOR. Pober/ 7. C0///er M ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES SHUTTLE FOR BADMINTON AND THE LIKE Robert T. Collier,

Hillsborough, Calif.

Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239,197

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a shuttle for badminton and the like.

The present invention relates to an improvement in a shuttle for the game of badminton and like games, such as battledore and shuttlecock.

In Patent 1,620,922 of-March 15, 1927 and Patent 1,924,259 of August 29, 1933, Saunders has proposed a construction in which the usual shuttle head and feather vanes are substituted and replaced with other materials. In attempting to construct shuttles in which the vane portion was formed of a sheet member in conical form, after the Saunders suggestions, I found that while such a shuttle had a longer life than the ordinary feathered shuttle, nevertheless, if one accidentally struck the vane portion with the racket the shuttle was apt to fail or become misshapen even though reinforced by a knitted fabric, particularly at thev point where the vane portion was joined it) to the head. And this was so, even though I employed as materials of construction relatively flexible, resilient and strong materials such as Celluloids and films of cellulose acetate and other strong plastics. I 96 In general the broad object of the present invention is to provide an improved shuttle construction, particularly one providing a very rugged, strong shuttle which retains its original shape even after use.

It is well known that the weight of the shut tle employed is varied to suit the atmospheric conditions of play. For example, in indoor play a very light, more active shuttle can be employed. Out of doors, where wind current can affect the shuttle, it is more usual to employ a heavy shuttle. It is the common observation that usual weighting of the shuttle is such that weighted shuttles do not have the same flight characteristics as unweighted shuttles. Flight characteristics are altered, not merely because of the addition of the weight, but because of the wayin which the weight is distributed, the weight being placed in the head closer to point of impact and in front of the center of balance. I have found that if the added weight is substantially uniformly distributed on either side of the center of balance of the shuttle and placed immediately adjacent to the center of balance, then the flight characteristics of the shuttle are the least altered.

It is in general another broad object of the present invention to provide for the weighting of the shuttle to the end that flight characteristics thereof remain substantially unaltered even (Cl. 273-10ii) though the weight of the shuttle is materially increased. Y I

The invention includes other objects and features of advantage, some of Zwhich, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of shuttle of my invention is disclosed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shuttle embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the device of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a'xsection taken on the line 3 in Figure 2.

The shuttle of the present invention includes a suitably formed head portion 6 and a vane portion indicated generally at 7. The vanes are preferably formed of a single sheet of material provided in the form of a truncated cone flaring} outwardly from the head to the outer rim 8 of the cone. In accordance with this invention, to provide strength, longitudinal resiliency and lateral rigidity, and the proper flight characteristics, the surface of the conical member I is preferably formed with a plurality of corrugations indicated at 9. These corrugations are preferably extended about the member I in a direction substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle. I 'he corrugations can be spirally arranged with one continuous spiral, or else they can be/ made in the form of parallel annular alterations in the sur-' face of the main member.

If one attempts to merely make the conical vane member 1 of a solid sheet of material such as Celluloid or some plastic or reinforced plastic, it will be found that such a vane member will not have suflicient strength to resist racket impact. Additionally, the member will have, such flight characteristics that it will not simulate that of the usual feathered shuttle. However, by corrugating the vane member the flight characteristics are imparted to the shuttle at the same time that strength and rigidity of the vane are increased.

The shuttle successfully resists a blow from any direction, on the head, on the side or on the rim. Further, the construction is such that the shuttle can be molded from any of the useful plastics and, if so made, does not become oval in shape if left lying on its side; the shuttle requires no reinforcing as the construction employed gives the necessary strength.

The head 6 can be formed suitably in any desired manner. It can be the usual cork head, or it can be formed of the same material of conline H. I have found that by placing the added weights, indicated at l2, immediately adjacent and in fact on, the center of balance and equally on opposite sides thereof, the flight characteristics of the shuttle are altered least of all, at the same time that the weight of the shuttle is increased, so that the shuttle can be readily adapted to outdoor play. One or more disc I! can be placed to vary the weight.

In Figures 2 and 3 the shuttle is shown as a one piece structure including ribs l6 which act as shoulders in assembly of the weight to the shuttle.

As appears in Figure 2, the shuttle is made with rim 8 curved somewhat inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the bird, as much as the molding opertaion will permit, from the direction of the vertical cross section. At least the rim is cylindrical and somewhat thicker than the adjacent section so that it resists tearing and providesstrength at the rim. The section of the vane, between the rim and the head, is made quite thin, tapering toward the head and, as the head is approached, thickening at the head so that an equal moment lies on each side of the center of balance. This construction provides a rugged and yet satisfactory shuttle.

If one attempts to make a satisfactory shuttle, one having the requisite flight characteristics, with a one-piece straight side vane member, longitudinal vanes are desirable in the vane member. However, these reduce the longitudinal resiliency and the lateral rigidity materially so that the bird lifeis short compared to that of the bird herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. A shuttle for the game of badminton and the like having a head and a substantially continuous truncated cone vane member joined to said head at the smaller end thereof, said member having a plurality of corrugations therein extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shuttle.

2. A shuttle for the game 'of badminton and the like having a head and a substantially continuous truncated cone vane member joined to said head at the smaller end thereof, said member having a plurality of corrugations therein extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shuttle, the outer rim of said vane member being curved inwardly substantially uniformly to- 4. A shuttle for the game of badminton and the like having a head and a vane of hollow conical form secured thereto, said shuttle having its center of balance substantially on a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said vane, and at the junction of said head and said vane, and weight loading means for said shuttle immediately adjacent to said plane and substantially equally distributed on opposite sides of said center of balance.

5. A shuttle for the game of badminton and the like having a head, a vane of hollow conical form secured thereto, and weight loading means for said shuttle immediately adjacent to the center of balance of the shuttle and substantially equally distributed on opposite sides of said center of balance, said head and said vane being substantially balanced about said center of balance independently of said weight loading means- 6. A shuttle for the game of badminton. and the like comprising a head and a substantially continuous corrugated truncated cone vane member joined to said head at the smaller end thereof with corrugation therein extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shuttle.

7. A shuttle for the game of badminton and the like comprising a head and a substantially continuous corrugated truncated cone vane member positioned on said head with the smaller end thereof adjacent said head and with the larger end thereof away from said end, that portion of said vane member intermediate said ends being arcuately formed to provide at least one corrugation extending generally transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shuttle.

ROBERT T. COLLIER. 

